Rack and shelf construction



Oct. 10, 1933. J. E. BALEs 1,929,467

RACK AND SHELF CONSTRUCTION Filed Deo. 14, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l gig-2 I 272/ /f la 7% [gy 2 Z5 MW /U' n w y @MOWQHUWZM gf Oct. 10, 1933. J. E. BALEs RACK AND SHELF CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 14, 1931 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented ct. 10, 1933 rar James iE. Baies, Aurora, Ill.,

assigner to Lyon lifietal Products, Incorporated, Aurora, Ill., a

corporation of illinois Application December 14, 1931 Serial No. 580,767

4 Claims. (Cl. 2li-132) This invention relates to shelving and particularly to that class of shelving which is known as the unit piling system in which a number of parts are stacked in a small tray or drawer in a standard number of units. Another tray Vis stacked on top of the material in the tray below, the object being that more orderly stock-keeping methods may be enforced and inventory may be taken in much less time, as it is only necessary to 0 count the number of the full trays with their xed standard unit of countv and then add in the broken lots that may be in the other trays.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved display or storage rack for unit piling systemsl and other purposes in which the trays are slidably mounted on traysupporting bearers which are pivoted relative to the mainframe or support.

Another object is to provide a rack which is adapted to be folded into a small compact arti'- cle requiring relatively small space for shipment and storage purposes and which, when extended, is rigidjstrong, and durable.

A further object of the invention is to provide a folding rack which has end frames upon which shelf bearers are pivotally mounted, lugs being struck out from the end frames to provide supports for the bearers, the bearers being adapted to have drawers or trays slidably mounted thereon and have ears struck up therefrom to limit the sliding movement of the drawers on the bearers. A still further object is to provide a new and novel arrangement and assemblage of parts to provide a, shelf or tray supporting rack which is 3 so constructed and arranged as to be readily folded when not in use so as to occupy a comparatively small amount of space.

Numerous other objects and advantages will be apparent throughout the progress of the following specification.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a selected embodiment of the invention and the views therein are as follows:

Fig. 1 is a detail perspective view of the improved rack in normal or extended position.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device.

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional View on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a detail elevation of the device in folded or collapsed position.

Fig. 6 is a detail top plan view of the device in partly collapsed position as shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 Yis a detail end view ofthe device in partiallyfolded position. Fig. 8 is a detail end view of the device when it is totally folded.

Fig. 9 is a detail sectional View showing an- 60 h.

rod'bent to the proper configuration and having 70,A

its upper ends welded, as indicated at 17, or each end frame may be made in two sections having the abutting free ends welded, as indicated at 17 and 18. Y

Bearers 19 for supporting shelves, drawers, or 75 trays are supported by the uprights 13 and 14. Each shelf bearer comprises flat vertical arms or sides 2) which have their ends 21 bent around the uprights as indicated at 22 to pivotally connect the bearers to the uprights. These free ends may be spot welded to the sides-asindicatedat 23. Lugs 24 and 25 are spaced above and below the upper and lower edges 26 and 27 respectively of the sides 20 to provide a support for the pivotally mounted bearers and to either prevent slidable movement of the shelf bearers or to limit the slidable movement thereof.

Flanges 28 extend inwardly from each shelf bearer and provide supports for the drawers or trays 29. The front edges of the anges 28 are 90 cut away as indicated at 30, Fig. 1, while the rear edges of the flanges are bent upwardly to provide ears 31 which ears form stops to limit the inward slidable movement of the drawers or trays 29.

v.The drawers or trays 29 are removable and 95 keach comprises a bottom 32 from which sides 33,

backs 34, Fig. l, and fronts 35, Fig. 4, are bent. The upper edges of the fronts 35 are bent over as indicated at 36 to provide a groove 37.v

A metal clip 38 having a lower groove 39 is 100 welded to the front 35 as indicated at 40, Fig. 4. The groove 39 is oppositely disposed to the groove 37 and provides a recess into which a card, not shown, may be arranged to designate the contents of the drawers.

The bearers 19 are thus pivotally connected to the uprights 13 and 14 permitting the rack to be collapsed or pushed together as shown in Figs. 5V to 8 inclusive.

Where the lugs 24 and 25 are spaced substan- 110 tially the same distance apart as the width of the bearers 19, the inwardly extending flanges 28 will contact or abut as shown in Fig. V7. However, where a slight clearance is left between the upper and lower lugs, it is possible to completely collapse the rack until the edge of a ange 28 on one bearer engages an inner side wall 2i) of another bearer with the flanges arranged one above the other as shown in Fig. S.

Instead of making the end frames as previously described, the end frames may be made in accordance with the construction as shown in Fig. 9. In this figure, the bottom members 16 are deformed and bent upwardly as indicated at 41 providing a supporting edge or bearing 42. A sleeve 43 receives the free ends 44 of the end frame and preferably constitutes a drive 'fit with these ends. This sleeves is either-spot welded or center punched to hold the free ends together. The offset 41 in each member 15 is preferably no greater than the thickness of the tube sleeve 43 so that the bottom 45 of this sleeve also acts as a support for the end frames, being flush with the bearing 42.

The invention provides a rack for supporting trays, drawers or other similar articles which rack is capable of being collapsed in either direction longitudinally due to the pivotal engagement of the bearers with the uprights on the end frames. The rack, when extended, is relatively rectangular in shape and is of skeleton construction. The sheet metal shelves are slidably mounted on oppositely disposed bearers and may be instantly removed. When it is desired to collapse the frame, the shelves are removed and arranged in stacked formation taking up a relatively small amount of space. Also, the rack, when not in use, may be collapsed in either of the forms shown in Figs. 7 or 8 and packed with the shelves thereby making a compact arrangement requiring very little space.

Changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of the parts without departing from thespirit of the invention or sacricing any of its advantages, and the right is hereby reserved to make all such changes as fairly fall within the scope of the following claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A folding display rack comprising a pair of spaced end frames, each frame including spaced uprights and means rigidly connecting the uprights together, shelf bearers connecting the uprights on respective sides of the frames, said bearers having pivotal engagement with the uprights to permit the rack to be folded together to a position to bring the bearers on one side of the rack into contacting relationship with the bearers on the other side of the rack.

2. A folding display rack comprising a pair of spaced end frames, each frame including spaced uprights and means rigidly connecting the up rights together, shelf bearers connecting the uprights on respective sidesV of the frames, said bearers having pivotal engagement with the up rights to permit the rack to be folded together to a position to bring the bearers on one side of the rack into contacting relationship with the Abearers on the other side of the rack, and shelves slidingly supported on the bearers.

3. A folding display rack comprising a pair of spaced end frames, each framer including spaced uprights and means rigidly connecting the uprights together, lshelf bearers connecting the uprights on respective sides of the frames, said bearers being looped around the uprights on respective sides of the rack and having pivotal engagement therewith whereby the rack Vmay be folded together to a position to bring the bearers on one side of the rack into substantially contacting relationship with the bearers on the other side of the rack.

4. A folding display vrack comprising a pair of spaced end frames, each frame including a pair of spaced uprights and means rigidly con,- necting the uprights together, shelf bearers arranged in vertical tiers and connecting` the uprights on respective sides of the frames, said bearers being looped around the uprights on respective sides of the rack and having pivotal engagement vtherewithwhereby the rack may be folded together to a position to bring the bearers on one side of the rack into substantially contacting relationship with the bearers on the other side of the rack, and removable shelves slidingly arranged between the frames and slidingly engaging the bearers.

JAMES E. BALES. 

